10 best things to do in Watkins Glen

1. Hike at Watkins Glen State Park

According to USA today Watkins Glen State Park is one of the top state parks in America. The glen’s stream is two miles long, descending 400 feet, past 200-foot cliffs, and generating 19 waterfalls. From the main street you can see the stream, and not far from the South parking lot you can glimpse the first waterfall, Couches Staircase.

Gorge Trail

If you are lucky enough to do the Gorge Trail which is only open from Mid-May to Mid-October (during which time there is a $10 vehicle entrance fee) there is so much to see. The Gorge Trail is 1.9 miles long, but has 800 stairs. If you do get to visit, this is how you will witness the most famous of the four named waterfalls in the park- Rainbow Falls. I read that it can get very slippery and wet on the Gorge Trail- so take caution.

Other hikes at Watkins Glen

Because the Gorge Trail was closed, we had to do another hike. The rim trail is 1.1 mile in (and another back). It follows along the Gorge and still gave lots of beautiful views, especially from the bridge.

More information about Watkin’s Glen

If you visit during off-season (like we did) it’s free to visit. There are several hikes you can take with beautiful views, none of them more than a few miles. There are a lot of stairs! The park also boasts an Olympic size pool and plenty of spots for picnicking or playing on the playground.

Visitors can camp, and there are shuttles during high season to take visitors from one park entrance (the Main Entrance for hiking and the South entrance for camping) to the other.

2. Explore the original Watkins Glen race track

On October 2, 1948 the first post World War II road race was hosted on the streets of Watkins Glen. That’s right- not a race track- the streets! The road race is only continued until 1952 when tragedy struck and a child was killed and some spectators injured. Today the race is no longer on public roads but you can follow the original Grand Prix course in your own vehicle. The 6.6 mile circuit starts in front of the Schuyler County Courthouse. Moreover, during the Grand Prix Festival, classic race cars take to the streets again every year.

When you’re walking downtown, check out the Watkins Glen Drivers Walk of Fame. 3 to 6 new drivers are added to the Hall of Fame every year during the Grand Prix Festival- which takes place the first Friday after Labor Day.

3. Take in a race (or race yourself) at Watkins Glen International

Speaking of racing, while the Grand Prix no longer is on the actual streets it does still occur, though now at Watkins Glen international. When I told friends I was visiting the city of Watkins Glen most of them mentioned the race track. This track hosts NASCAR and vintage cups races. It was also voted the best NASCAR track in a USA Today readers choice poll.

Drive the Glen

We stopped by just to see the racetrack one evening and found out that you can drive the Glen! Interested visitors can drive the Glen at noon or 5 PM almost every day. We booked our tickets in advance on their website for $30 per vehicle. We arrived early and watched some car racing from people who had rented out the track for the afternoon.

When it was our turn we got to take our CRV (in which we followed behind two minivans) and went around the track three times. Check out my sped-up version of a lap around the track below:

Drivers follow behind a lead car- no passing or crazy excessive speeds- and on the third lap we stopped at the finish line to snap some pics what a cool experience!

If racing is your thing, while visiting Watkins Glen you may want to learn about racing history at the International Motor Research Center.

4. Explore the wineries around Seneca Lake

Castel Grisch

Castel Grisch is open seven days a week from 11-5 from mid May until November 1st. They have all kinds of wine varying from dry to dessert. You can order a flight, and also order a wine parfait or sangria.

Seneca Harbor Wine Center

Seneca Harbor Wine Center is in town, not on the official trail, but one of my favorite spots. We had a flight on their beautiful horseshoe shaped bar in a gorgeous former warehouse. Best part- the employees were very friendly and the wines were delicious!

Lakewood Vineyards

We received multiple recommendations to visit Lakewood Vineyards, and it did not disappoint. They have been making wine for over 7 decades at this family-owned and run business. Open Monday through Saturday from 10-5 and Sunday from noon to 5, visitors can do tastings for $5 or a tour and tasting for $20 (reserve in advance from their website). Their wines from the gambit from dry to sweet, sparking and dessert.

Yeah, we only make it so three wineries, so I can’t wait to go back and explore some more. Have you been to Watkins Glen? Do you have any suggestions about where to go next time? Please leave a comment.

You can also hire Main Street driver who will help plan the day and drive you to the wineries in your car.

We didn’t have just wine at Watkins Glen, we also enjoyed time at some breweries and enjoyed some nice meals.

Scale House Brewery

Scale House Brewery was another recommendation from locals. They had 12 beers on draft (lagers, cream ales, IPAs, stouts and more) and were especially known for their pizza, which we really enjoyed. They offer a happy hour every Tuesday-Friday, have live music on Wednesday & Thursday, and are open most days from noon-8, but are closed Monday.

Two Goats Brewery

I wanted to visit Two Goats for its name, but we had a great time there. With live music Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they have 9 varieties of beer and offer flights. They also offer blends of their beer, the hazy + kolsch beer named Goat Juice was my favorite. They also have wine, cider, and offer a sandwich if you need food. Open most days (except Wednesday) from around noon to 8, I definitely recommend a stop at this brewery.

Seneca Cheese Company

We stopped by the Seneca Cheese Company to enjoy a charcuterie board, but they also had beer, wine, bourdon, mixed drinks and more. It was a great stop while in Watkins Glen. We enjoyed a cheese plate and flights of local wines.

Nickel’s Pitt BBQ

While I am a vegetarian and can’t speak to the meat here, Nickel’s Pitt BBQ had some amazing nachos! And two of the people I was traveling with ate here TWICE during their visit, so that means it’s good. Open every day from 4-10, and from noon until 10 on the weekend, this restaurant, located on the main street in Watkin’s Glen, was a great spot for dinner.

5. Play some disc golf- or take in dinosaurs

Next to Castel Grisch is the Wild Vines disc golf course, but the 18 holes here are accompanied by lots of decorative dinosaurs and cast-off float decorations. We were just driving by and didn’t play, but we really enjoyed walking around the dinosaurs. If you do want to play disc golf, it costs $5 a person. And as you can see, Tommy and I had a blast exploring the grounds.

6. Enjoy glass works of art at the Corning Museum

Don’t be fooled by the name Corning Museum- there is a lot more to see than just your grandmothers collection of Corningware. The Corning Museum of Glass, located in nearby Corning New York, is dedicated to the art, history and science of glass. Open 7 days a week from 9-5, tickets cost $20 for adults, or $17 for college students or senior citizens.

Opened in 1951 (the 100th anniversary of the company now called Corning incorporated) the museum allows visitors to see over 50,000 glass objects dating back to 50 BC. Click through the slideshow to see some of the works of glass art featured at the museum.

In addition, visitors can also watch live glass making, learn how to make glass, and yes, see some classic Corningware at the museum. I was very pleasantly surprised by this museum- it exceeded my expectations and I definitely recommend it on a trip to Watkins Glen.

7. Take in some waterfalls

There are over 50 waterfalls around the Finger Lakes area. And I wanted to see as many as possible!

Hector Falls

On our way around Seneca Lake to check out some wineries we happened upon Hector Falls. This 160 foot waterfall is right next to the road and tumbles over shale and lime stone until it meets with Seneca Lake.

The top third of the falls is visible from route 414 and the lower 2/3 are on private property or can be viewed via a boat if you are out on Seneca Lake. We did a little adventuring around the empty cabins and were rewarding with some amazing views.

Aunt Sarah’s Falls

About 90 feet tall, Aunt Sarah’s Falls are a roadside falls located along Route 14, between Montour Falls and Watkins Glen, about a 5 minute drive away. It reminded me of the falls I saw driving around Norway and I just loved it so much.

And then, just down the road, we came upon…

Shequaga Falls

Shequaga Falls (pronounced She-qua-ga) is a 165-foot tall waterfall in the quaint town of Montour Falls.

This town was so adorable, and this waterfall is not only a roadside falls, but also in the backyards of several homes. Can you imagine having a waterfall in your backyard? #goals

8. Get out on the water of Seneca Lake

If you are visiting Watkins Glen in the summer, make sure to take a cruise on Seneca Lake. There are sightseeing cruises, dinner cruises and even sail boats. Alternatively you could rent a pontoon or a kayak for the day.

9. Watkins Glen Farm Sanctuary

The Watkins Glen Farm sanctuary is 271 acres of natural environment for farm animals who were rescued. You can go and take a guided tour and learn about the various animals.

10. Explore more around the Finger Lakes

Among my list of the 10 best things to do in Watkins Glen is to do some exploring further afield. I’m pretty convinced now that upstate New York is just full of darling towns, full of quaint downtown, colorful houses, rolling hills, and waterfalls. Just wandering around Watkins Glen was so adorable, and there are tons of others tons just like this!

And the houses of Watkins Glen and surrounding areas were so adorable! I loved all the colors and woodwork! Here are a few of our favorites.

Taughannock Falls

When we couldn’t hike to see Rainbow Falls in Watkins Glen State Park, a ranger suggested we visit Taughannock Falls, one of the tallest waterfalls in New York. At 215 feet, it is 33 feet taller than Niagara Falls. And to see it up close, it is a flat 3/4 mile beautiful hike.

There is also a great viewing platform to see the falls if you don’t want to hike to the falls, and it was just a half hour drive to Taughannock Falls, which is located on another of the Finger Lakes- Cayuga Lake.

Did you know there are eleven Finger Lakes? I have a lot more exploring to do!

Trumansburg, NY

This is just another little example of the darling towns that are located around the Finger Lakes. We stopped at Trumansburg, NY for lunch after our visit to Taughannock Falls. It had several cute little shops, a nice brewery, coffee shops, and more.

Montour Falls

The town of Montour Falls is very small, but super charming. I would consider staying here next time I visit, and its only about 5 minutes away from Watkins Glen.

There you have it, the 10 best things to do in Watkins Glen. Waterfalls, hiking, wine, racing, art…Watkins Glen and it’s surrounding areas have a bit of everything. I hope you enjoyed my blog post, please let me know if you have any suggestions for my upcoming travels, or if there is anything else that should not be missed in the area of Watkins Glen. Until next time!

-Catching Katie